At any rate a man cannot have
his head broken for asking a lady to marry him,--unless he is very
awkward in the doing of it. So Mr. Maule made his little proposition.
"Mr. Maule," said Madame, smiling, "is not this rather sudden?" Mr.
Maule admitted that it was sudden, but still persisted. "I think, if
you please, Mr. Maule, we will say no more about it," said the lady,
with that wicked smile still on her face. Mr. Maule declared that
silence on the subject had become impossible to him. "Then, Mr.
Maule, I shall have to leave you to speak to the chairs and tables,"
said Madame Goesler. No doubt she was used to the thing, and knew how
to conduct herself well. He also had been refused before by ladies of
wealth, but had never been treated with so little consideration. She
had risen from her chair as though about to leave the room, but was
slow in her movement, showing him that she thought it was well for
him to leave it instead of her. Muttering some words, half of apology
and half of self-assertion, he did leave the room; and now she told
the Duchess that she knew something of one of the Maules.
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